I don't know if you've noticed or not, but pickled vegetables are on many menus today. I love pickled beets, and have been making them for years. They're so much better than the canned ones. The homemade beets are cooked, but still retain some bite. They're not soft and mushy like the canned ones. Once a month I buy a few red beets and a few yellow ones. I take the red beets and cook them and pickle them, and the yellow beets I simply cook and slice. That way I have a variety of beets to use for the next few weeks.
I was intrigued by the idea of pickled red onions, so decided to experiment one Sunday afternoon. Here is what I came up with. The spices can be changed, depending on your mood. If you want a spicier onion, add more chili flakes. Other options are to add a cinnamon stick to the pickling liquid or a pickling spice mixture (premixed), in a bottle. Below is what I came up with on my first try. I love the pickled onions on top of any cold deli sandwich, like ham and cheese or turkey and cheese. It's also great atop a burger or hot dog, or simply as a side dish. This is so easy to prepare, yet it really adds a gourmet touch to even the simplest sandwich.
3/4 cup (180ml) white vinegar
3 tablespoons (50gr) sugar
pinch of salt
1 bay leaf
5 allspice berries
5 whole cloves(I used powder)
a small, dried chile pepper (Iused chili flakes)
1 large red onion, peeled, and thinly sliced into rings
1. In a small, non-reactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, sugar, salt, seasonings and chile until boiling.
2. Add the onion slices and lower heat, then simmer gently for 1 minute, until the onions are partially cooked.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
4. Transfer the onions and the liquid into a jar then refrigerate until ready to use.
Storage: The onions will keep for several months, but I find they’re best the week they’re made.
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